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The order, reviewed by ET, also directed Google, a defendant in the matter, to not allow, or deactivate Bytedance’s “use of ‘Share-Chat’ or any identical or deceptively similar mark” on its ad-words platform within 48 hours.
Bytedance could not respond to ET’s questions owing to a time difference between India and China. ShareChat too declined to comment on the matter.
In its submissions to the court last Friday, the order of which has been reviewed by ET, ShareChat’s counsel had alleged that when a user searched its app’s name on Google’s database, Bytedance’s ‘Helo’ appeared as “one of the first search results”.
Besides mentioning of ad-words ‘ambushing’, ShareChat in its submissions on Friday also alleged that Helo was a “complete copy” of its product. And that Helo “had not only copied the features, look and feel of the app, but also various icons” which appeared on ShareChat.
ShareChat’s submissions also accused Helo of “copying/misusing the various comments and posts by its users” which appeared on its platform, by “wrongly attributing them to fictitious people on its app.”
Helo, which was launched in July this year, has between 5-10 million active users in India, industry observers say. Unlike ShareChat, which is available in 14 Indian languages, Helo currently caters mostly to Hindi language users, with a significant bulk of its active users coming from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Bytedance, valued at $75 billion, is considered to be the world’s most valuable privately-backed startup, after a recent $3 billion fundraising round led by SoftBank. Following the round, the Beijing-based content company surpassed Uber, which is currently valued at $72 billion. Besides Helo, a recently launched India-specific product, Bytedance also owns its flagship product—Jinri Toutiao, a Chinese news aggregator app, and popular short video app, TikTok. Bytedance has been aggressively spending in India, in its bid to capture the fast-growing social content market. The spend is largely through digital advertising on platforms like Google and Facebook.
ShareChat, which recently raised close to $100 million at a valuation of nearly $460 million, stated in its submission that it had a user base of over 50 million.
During Friday’s hearing, Jayant Bhushan appeared on behalf of Bytedance, while Akhil Sibal represented ShareChat. In Tuesday’s hearing, Neeraj Kishen Kaul appeared for Bytedance. The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
ETPrime stories of the day
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Ling and Donner’s perceptive of media growth in poverty stricken countries help put things into perspective. It’s hard to see the impact technology can make on a society when it’s something we take for granted. One statistic I was especially baffled by was “estimates suggest that by 2010 there will be at least 5.4 billion fixed and mobile subscriptions on the planet,” (p 7). Therefore it’s obvious to feel unconnected if you aren’t connected through technology.
An interesting contrast to this is Richard Heeks blog, which peeks at the idea that “research suggests mobiles are doing more economic harm than good, and sometimes making poor people poorer.” His post hints at cell phones being more popular that useful as people substitute time spent producing goods and other necessities to ensure they have a cell phone. In fact, Africa has the fastest cell phone growth rate in the world, (Ibrahim p 3). According to some research Heeks quotes, “48% of respondents reported that they sometimes substitute important needs (e.g. education, buying food, and clothes) for mobile phone ownership/usage.”
I can see this point, but if mobile technology wasn’t helping we wouldn’t be having this debate. How do the people in these countries feel about mobile phones? According to Ibrahim it has helped strengthen society and he argues it’s the key to moving out of poverty for countries like Africa. Obviously if they are sparingly buying food so they can afford a phone they feel the benefits are worth it. And like Heeks supplies, there are biases in this research.
A fascinating point Heeks brings up is the importance to understand that poverty is not just a monetary issue; it is also a social issue. It is important for people to feel a part of something bigger, especially when it gives them hope that people care enough to make their situation better. Ibrahim writes, “Africa will change in the coming years as Africans begin to take responsibility for their own success,” (p 7).

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Charity plant sale on your doorstep
A summer plant sale is being run by the The John Innes Society on Saturday (May 21) at 5A Sheridan Road, in Merton Park.
Society members have donated a wide variety of herbaceous plants, annuals and shrubs, which will be for sale.
There will also be bedding and container plants bought in for the sale and sold on at bargain prices. Special features are lilies and unusual varieties of holly.
Admission is free to members of the Society, 50p for non-members. It starts at 10.30 and runs to 12 noon. Enquiries to John Innes Society on 0208-542-9321.
May 19, 2011


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Call of Duty: Mobile developed by Tencent Games was launched on October 1. The new mobile game has surpassed 35 million downloads on both iOS and Android stores. This is more than any other mobile game on the App Store and Google Play. Apart from that, this free-to-play first-person shooter game has achieved the number one position on App store based on downloads since its launch in more than 100 countries across the globe.
Tencent Holdings’ Call of Duty: Mobile managed to attract 35 million games from the day of its launch becoming the highest-profile game developed by Tencent Games who also developed another popular mobile game — PUBG Mobile.
As said, the game was launched on October 1st across the world on Google Play and App Store. The game is available everywhere except Mainland China, Vietnam and Belgium. The game was announced by Activision earlier this year and then they collaborated with Tencent Games to produce Call of Duty: Mobile.
“The response from fans across both Android and iOS has been amazing. Already, Call of Duty: Mobile has surpassed 35 million downloads on its way to becoming the #1 ranked iOS app in downloads overall, not only among games but also among all apps, in 100 countries and regions,” stated Rob Kostich, president, Activision. “This is an incredibly fun experience, and we’re only getting started. Congratulations to the teams at Activision and at our partner Tencent’s TiMi Studios for making such a great game for players. And special thanks to our fans for their continued support. There is a ton more to look forward to as we release more content and updates” stated the company.
For the unknown, Call of Duty: Mobile is a free-to-play first-person shooter game on mobile that brings new maps, competitive modes, iconic characters and signature weapons and will also include Battle Royale mode and 100 players on the map. Inspired by graphics of the PC game, it has fast become a hot favourite amongst mobile gamers.
As per a report, India contributed approximately 14% — largest number of game downloads, followed by the United States with 9% of installs. According to Sensor Tower, a market analyst, Call of Duty: Mobile has already earned $2 million so far.
The company is now gearing up to launch its next on-mobile entry in the series Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which will go live from October 5 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
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With almost 80,000 people on the waitlist, General Motors is struggling to keep up with the demand for its new electric Hummer. GM is experiencing significant supply-chain problems due to the lack of delivery personnel, raw materials, and necessary parts to complete and test the company’s electric vehicles. Currently, on average, GM is only producing about 12 Hummer EVs a day.
Customers on the waiting list are not happy. Recently, GM also raised the average prices of their EV listings by $6,250. According to an interview with CNBC, the reason for the long wait times and the surge in price is because of “higher prices for parts, technology, and logistics”. Tesla also did a similar move by increasing its EV listing prices, however, these surges do not affect vehicles sold before the new price is in effect.
GM, though, is taking charge and trying something different. One of the main reasons that GM is lagging in its production is because of a shortage of EV batteries. To combat this, GM is hoping to create large battery-producing centers throughout North America, specifically the United States. They are working together with states like Ohio, to produce large factories and electric vehicle battery production centers. Hummer batteries are large and have more cells than other EV batteries, which makes them harder to produce.
Did you enjoy this article? Read other articles on CBT News here. Please share your thoughts, comments, or questions regarding this topic by submitting a letter to the editor here, or connect with us at email@example.com.


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It’s been quite a while since anything Quake related has been announced, that is until now, as Bethesda has announced a new game in the series.
Bethesda has revealed a new Quake game called Quake Champions. The announcement was followed by a reveal trailer showing a variety of warriors battling it out in arena combat zones.
The game has been described by Bethesda as a competitive first-person shooter for the PC that features a cast of unique warriors each with their own attributes. It seems that the game could play similar to Overwatch, the main difference being that the warrior with the most kills wins. The game also brings back some of the classic weapons that have been part of the franchise for years, these include the railgun, lighting gun, rocket launcher and melee buzzsaw gauntlet. From what is shown in the trailer, the combat set to be faced paced and frantic, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
It’s great to see Bethesda reviving old franchises such as Quake and DOOM and if the recent DOOM game is anything to go by Quake Champions will be a great multiplayer shooter.
Below is the reveal trailer for the game:


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News - General News
Car buyers ‘changing rapidly’
Motor industry warned of shakeout as new-gen car buyers change habits
22 Jul 2015
By IAN PORTER
THE new car market is about to undergo dramatic changes due to urban congestion and an indifferent attitude to car ownership by younger generations, according to a Victorian automotive industry leader.
Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce chief executive Geoff Gwilym said the dealer network was already contracting.
Mr Gwilym also said dealers needed to be aware of the need to band together to present a united front on political matters.
Addressing a Victorian Automobile Dealers Association meeting of leading dealers from many brands, Mr Gwilym said the automotive industry was facing the same sort of revolution that had convulsed the printing industry over recent decades.
“If, in 1960, someone would have told the printing industry that the basic principles of setting movable type using the principles established by Gutenberg five centuries before were no longer relevant, no one would have believed them,” he said.
He said the automotive sector was facing a similar wave of change.
“Changes to the drive capacity of vehicles, safety technologies and increased performance for less money are incremental changes that we can see coming,” he said.
“These changes, of course, will change buying behaviors and attitudes that people have to cars.” The modern vehicle is no longer a reflection of a person’s wealth or social standing, he said. For people in Generation X (1960s to 1980s) and Generation Y (1980s to early 2000s), cars are more a necessity for travel and a means to an end.
“These are the generations who live with cracked mobile phone screens, expensive clothing with no labels and a general disrespect for the middle classes – even though most of them come from there.”
Left: VACC chief executive Geoff Gwilym Mr Gwilym warned dealers that Gen X and Gen Y would be buying the next generation of new cars.
“They buy almost everything on line, have poor brand loyalty and are likely to get most of their car buying advice via a blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Whirlpool.” Mr Gwilym said car ownership would become less attractive as more people opt to live in high-rise apartments in metropolitan and outer metropolitan areas.
“These are mainly close to shopping centres and public transport and have limited infrastructure for parking and car use.” Pressure on new car sales was also coming from the burgeoning car-share sector.
Mr Gwilym said the Go-Get company was growing at a rate of 45 per cent a year and already had 65,000 members and 2000 vehicles.
The negative factors were increasing, although Mr Gwilym said no one knew for sure when urban concentration and transport congestion would see new car sales flatten out and then decline.
Industry data indicated that the number of vehicle sales outlets across the country had declined from 4745 in 2012 to 4602 in 2014.
This reflected a need to achieve economies of scale through larger premises and operations, as well as buying power and marketing efficiencies.
And, while dealerships still were heavily reliant on skilled labour, that would change in coming decades.
The way we sell, manage and service vehicles will be constantly under analysis, with every measure applied to removing labor costs while remaining relevant and profitable.” Mr Gwilym said the increasing concentration of the new vehicle industry meant that dealers had to work more closely together when presenting to governments.
The VACC and VADA had invited the newly appointed chief of the Australian Automobile Dealer Association (AADA), Mr Bruce McDonald, to the lunch.
“VACC is very keen to work with the new AADA,” Mr Gwilym said.
He said almost half of all new and used car dealers were members of the VACC and around 80 per cent of new car dealers were members.
“The two organisations share many of the same goals.
“Having separate national organisations with competing messages is bad for all stakeholders and will not help government in setting industry policy.
“We can do more, working together and ensuring we have coherent industry position.
“VACC looks forward to sharing resources with AADA for the greater good of the two organisations.”
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Drivers of electric vehicles in Knoxville will soon have to pay for their power at more than half of the city's EV charging stations.
The City of Knoxville has signed an agreement with CarCharging Group Inc. to keep 14 of the city's 24 EV stations operational. A subsidy provided by the Department of Energy allowed those charging stations to be free of charge since they were installed, but starting on July 1, Blink will charge $1 per hour for members and $2 for guests.
Those affected EV stations are located at Caswell Park, Ijams Nature Center, Sequoyah Park, State Street Garage, Victor Ashe Park, West Hills Park and the Jackson Avenue parking lot.
"We are excited to work with CarCharging to keep these Blink electric vehicle charging stations up and running at City parking facilities," said Erin Gill, Director of the City's Office of Sustainability. "These stations are critical to supporting the use of vehicles that consume less energy and produce fewer emissions."
The City of Knoxville's Blink Level II EV charging stations quickly recharge an electric vehicle's battery. EV drivers can easily request Blink's InCard at www.BlinkNetwork.com to initiate use and payment at these locations.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) operates the 10 remaining EV stations in Knoxville through September 30, and those will continue to be free of charge. They are located at the Knoxville Coliseum Auditorium and the Market Square Garage.
ORNL installed these 10 stations as part of a statewide DOE research project to examine the interaction between solar energy, battery storage and EVSE usage.


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The COVID-19 outbreak has put a damper on business activity across the world – especially anything involving travel. Numerous events have been rescheduled, and this year’s edition of the world-renowned HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), is no exception. But there is a simple solution – go digital.The HKTDC is adding sparkle to the jewellery industry with a promotion on the HKTDC’s online marketplace, hktdc.com Sourcing, spotlighting jewellery and watch products.Hong Kong has a lengthy history as a centre for trading in precious metals, gemstones and jewellery. Visitors to the city often remark that jewellers seem to outnumber every other form of retail outlet, and the city has been an important precious-metals trading site for most of its history.
All that glitters
In the first half of 2019, Hong Kong’s exports of precious jewellery gained further pace and saw another 14% year‑on‑year growth, with the United States, Switzerland and the European Union being the biggest markets which in sum accounted for nearly 56% of the total, HKTDC Research reported late last year. During this period, sales to Switzerland and the EU were especially strong, rising by 60% and 26% respectively.HKTDC Research also found that articles of jewellery are becoming more fashion oriented. Innovative designs are important for moving upmarket. For instance, silhouette design, renaissance‑inspired jewellery and futuristic design are the upcoming jewellery trends. Recent technological development allows massive production of jewellery products with good quality and competitive prices. In Hong Kong, major manufacturers use sophisticated and automated production equipment, integrating advanced production techniques, such as electroforming, with handicraft skills to enhance their efficiency.
Roughly one‑fifth of jewellery sales in the US were made online in 2018, HKTDC Research reported. In Mainland China, the internet has become an increasingly important jewellery sales channel where 6% of sales were made in 2018, up from 1.5% in 2013. In response to the rapid e‑commerce development, global jewellers are growing their online presence fast. According a survey conducted by the HKTDC at last year’s Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, 42% of those surveyed are selling their products directly to consumers via online trading platforms, with that figure rising for a fourth consecutive year. Among others, Hong Kong jewellery retailers, such as Chow Sang Sang and Chow Tai Fook, are actively developing their online sales channels. It is expected that the application of e‑commerce in the jewellery sector will continue to proliferate. Over the longer term, the development of internet shopping represents a new direct sales method for Hong Kong jewellers in promoting their products.Given this background it is no wonder the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show features prominently on many traders’, investors’ and retailers’ calendars, and complementary online promotion is of growing importance.
Following a promotion of wellbeing products last month, the online marketplace is promoting jewellery and watch products this month, offering suppliers the chance to sparkle in the spotlight while allowing buyers from around the world, who cannot come to Hong Kong to browse physical stalls, to purchase online.This is the latest in a series of virtual showcases, starting with the Spring Virtual Expo in April, which drew nearly 1.4 million buyers from around the world to browse and source online, helping suppliers secure new customers and orders. The encouraging response led the HKTDC to organise more online promotions, including quarterly online exhibitions, to help Hong Kong businesses capture opportunities. The next online fair, the Summer Virtual Expo, runs from 29 June to 24 July.
Hktdc.com Sourcing Jewellery & Watches


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Grindrod Intermodal (GIM) has been contracted to facilitate the logistics of moving copper concentrate from Zambia to South Africa and on to global ma...
On the 23rd of June, Grindrod Intermodal (GIM) welcomed the Cape Male; a Maersk operated container vessel at Maydon Wharf.
Grindrod announced today that Ms. Fathima Ally has been appointed as Group Financial Director of Grindrod with effect from 1 September 2020.
Fátima Nacarare was recently employed as the first female truck driver for Grindrod Logistics Mozambique (GLM) in Nacala.
Grindrod donated a hands-free, handwashing station; 100 buckets – each with an outlet tap (for washing hands) and 250 face masks to the District Gover...


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In-brief: Experts on the security of the Internet of Things warned that lax security and privacy protections are rampant in connected home products, but consumers have no way of knowing whether the products they buy are easy targets for hackers.
In-brief: IBM researchers say they have seen a spike in malicious activity linked to the Dyre family of malware. Sophisticated attacks on business banking accounts have led to the theft of millions of dollars, IBM says.
In-brief: An Executive Order signed by President Obama on Wednesday will clear the way for cyber criminals to face the same sanctions as terrorist groups, illegal arms dealers and drug traffickers. One expert called the Order “momentous.”
In-brief: Premera Blue Cross said on Tuesday that it was the victim of a sophisticated attack. The hackers had access to Premera’s network for more than six months, stealing information on as many as 11 million members and employees.
In-brief: digital ‘exhaust’ emitted by Internet of Things technologies may pose the biggest risk to personal privacy and security a researcher warns.


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Roblox, the popular online gaming platform, is making its highly anticipated debut on PlayStation this year. With millions of players worldwide, Roblox allows users to create and customize their own virtual worlds, play games, and connect with friends in an immersive and interactive environment. PlayStation users can now join the Roblox community and enjoy a vast array of user-generated games and experiences, from action-packed adventures to creative building challenges. Get ready to dive into the endless possibilities of Roblox on PlayStation and unlock a new level of gaming entertainment. Don’t miss out on the excitement – stay tuned for updates and be one of the first to experience Roblox on PlayStation this year!
Roblox Coming to PlayStation Consoles: A Game-Changing Announcement
Roblox, the popular 3D gaming platform, made waves at the 2023 Roblox Developers Conference when Roblox founder and CEO David Baszucki announced that the game will finally be available on PlayStation consoles starting in October. This news comes after a long wait of 17 years since Roblox was first released back in 2006.
Currently, Roblox is available on various platforms including Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, Mac, Meta Quest VR headsets, iOS, and Android. However, the absence of a PlayStation version has been a major disappointment for many players. According to Baszucki, PlayStation console support for Roblox has been in the works “in the background” and the company is thrilled to finally bring the game to PlayStation players.
Roblox boasts an impressive user base, with approximately 65.5 million daily active users (DAU) as of the quarter ending in June. These users spend an average of 2.3 hours per day playing games on the platform. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the surge in popularity of Roblox, and it continues to be immensely popular among kids and teens.
The announcement of Roblox’s arrival on PlayStation consoles was accompanied by a demonstration by the Roblox team. They showcased the game experience on the PlayStation 5 and emphasized that cross-platform gameplay will be possible, allowing players on mobile, console, and VR headsets to join forces and enjoy the game together.
Roblox Product Design Director Tsitsi Kolawole took the stage to present the PlayStation 5 version of Roblox, praising its “fidelity” and “performance” on the high-end console. Kolawole also highlighted the ease with which gamers will be able to add their PlayStation friends as Roblox friends.
The addition of Roblox to PlayStation consoles has been a highly anticipated development. Speculation about the game’s arrival on PlayStation 4 and PS5 consoles first surfaced months ago during Activision and Microsoft’s FTC case. This announcement marks a significant milestone for Roblox and its dedicated fan base.
Baszucki also hinted at future plans, revealing that the company is already working on bringing Roblox to one or two additional platforms. While there are no specific details available at this time, players can look forward to even more opportunities to enjoy Roblox on their favorite gaming devices.
In conclusion, the announcement of Roblox’s availability on PlayStation consoles has generated excitement and anticipation among players. This long-awaited addition will further broaden the game’s reach and provide new opportunities for gamers to connect and engage with the Roblox community. Stay tuned for more updates on Roblox’s expansion to other platforms in the future.


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The 12 Most Pesticide-Contaminated Fruits and VeggiesBy
Jason Best  / TakePart
With farmers market season upon us, anyone looking for extra incentive to get up early on Saturday to check out the organic offerings from local growers might want to take a gander at the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen ,” the organization’s annual roundup of conventionally grown produce most likely to be contaminated with pesticides.
That plural—pesticides—is no joke. Despite growing consumer demand for healthier, more sustainably grown food, many samples of the most contaminated produce tested positive for residues from not one but two or more chemical pesticides. A single sample of strawberries contained residues from a whopping 17 different pesticides.
The EWG’s new list, released Tuesday, is based on tests conducted in 2014 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on close to 7,000 samples. While nearly three-quarters of those samples contained residue from at least one pesticide, the advocacy group crunched the numbers to once again come up with its list of the dozen different fruits and veggies that chemical-conscious consumers should be most wary of. So, without further ado…
10. Sweet bell peppers
11. Cherry tomatoes
This year, the group awarded what might be called two dishonorable mentions as well, or what the EWG categorizes as “Dirty Dozen Plus .” Neither hot peppers nor leafy greens (including kale and collard greens) technically meets the group’s criteria for the “Dirty Dozen,” but both types of produce were shown to be frequently contaminated with pesticides that are considered to be particularly toxic. (READ FULL ARTICLE)


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Facebook introduces one time passwords for insecure computers
In future Facebook users will be able to receive a one time login password as a mobile phone text. To use this service users will of course have to enter their mobile phone number into their Facebook account details. According to Facebook, this should allow a secure log-in from public computers in hotels, airports or cafés. Although a trojan installed on such a computer would be able to steal the single use password, it would not be valid for later log-ins and criminals using password-stealing trojans rarely login contemporaneously.
Users will still be able to log in using their usual passwords. To have a one-time password (OTP) sent to them, users have to text "OTP" to a Facebook number. The one time password is valid for a maximum of 20 minutes.
Facebook has also added additional account security features which now allow users to remotely close an open session on another computer, where for example they have forgotten to log out of a session or have been hacked. Facebook hopes this will help reduce account theft. Facebook accounts are very popular among spammers.


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Join us for a special weekend with Facialworks:
A Skincare, Yoga & Wellness Weekend Three Days of Wellness to Celebrate Facialworks Brand and Product Refresh!
Facialworks is hosting a launch event to announce their brand and product refresh! It will be a whole new Facialworks!
The launch event will take place Friday June 7th - Sunday, June 9th, with yoga classes, wellness vendors and education on the new product line and menu. There will also be a Women in Wellness Panel in the afternoon on June 8. This is a wellness event to expand Facialworks as a wellness brand over just a beauty brand. Attendees will be able to receive gifts with purchases and 20% off the new Facialworks menu!
Get all the info and RSVP for each event HERE!


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Village at Bay Harbor Welcomes New Merchants
There will be some great additions and a few renovations this year in the Village at Bay Harbor. We are excited to have everyone open their doors again and greet guests. We know there will be added safety measures to ensure that we are all complying with the CDC recommendations, but we are all looking forward to a wonderful year in the Village.
Salvatore’s Deli is new this year and will have the look and feel of a New York style grocer/deli offering sandwiches, salads and other food items “on the go”. They will be a welcome sight to visitors and boaters alike for a great place to stop in to grab much needed necessities and a quick sandwich to take along with them.
Mammoth Distilling will be bringing their hand-crafted spirits to the Village, opening a tasting room with outdoor seating available to enjoy a blended cocktail made from their fabulous line including whiskey, gin, vodka, rum and bourbon.
Tulips will extend her boutique into another space and bring back the popular Tiny Tulips, a collection of clothing, gifts, toys and accessories for the little ones in our lives.
The Dorothy Gerber Strings Program will be a new addition to the Village. They will offer lessons for violin, viola, cello and bass in a classroom setting, through private lessons, ensembles and youth symphony.
Walstrom Marine has turned their space into a showroom for their fabulous watercraft including Tiara, Pursuit and Chris Craft models.
C Pilates are expanding their space with an area that will have a bar for working out, as well as a line of fitness wear.
We have a few more updates that will be coming soon. Please stay updated by visiting our website and our social media pages to learn all the latest about the exciting happenings in the Village!


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Japan Association of Travel Agents, known as JATA, held their Annual Travel Show in Tokyo. The JATA is by far, the largest association of travel agents in Japan. About 12 travel agents and companies from Sri Lanka participated at the JATA. Ambassador Admiral Karannagoda and Chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe along with the Deputy Minister of Disaster Management Duleep Wijesekera, attended the opening ceremony of the JATA.
It may be stated that the SriLankan Airlines and Sri Lanka Tourism, in close coordination with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan, consisted two of the larger stalls at the Sri Lanka Pavilion of the JATA. Also, Channa-Upuli Dance Troupe had several performances at the JATA ceremony as well. It was estimated that over 140 nations, focusing primarily on tourism and travel trade, had participated at this three day JATA event in Tokyo.
The Sri Lanka Tourism, in close collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka, promotes tourism from Japan to Sri Lanka. That said, tourism from Japan to Sri Lanka has increased by approximately 45% in 2011 in comparison to 2010.
It is strongly envisaged that tourism from Japan to Sri Lanka would increase conspicuously in this year.
Both these events i.e. Sri Lanka Promotional Seminar and Participation at JATA, had been highly productive and fruitful since the fundamental focus was to promote tourism and travel as well as tourism related products.


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Little can be dirty with us. Gentlemen,$ 1 billion is a loss to the economy of the ultra-mega-plus heated pool!
According to information released Monday by the international monetary fund, the brazilian retailers already have lost the equivalent of$ 1 billion in sales in the last couple of weeks because of the protests, for an improvement in urban mobility in towns and cities, as well as other causes, which must be added).
The action of the groups who have taken advantage of the movement to promote vandalism, and ransacking of stores has made many traders to go down to the port early. On the other hand, a number of consumers also preferred to stay in the house until the tension of the social-download. And the combination of those two factors has led to the estimation of the prejudice in the face, given by professor Daniel Pla, of the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Rio de Janeiro.
Have been noted in the case of raids and withdrawals to the shops of Magazine Luiza and Marisa, in the city of são paulo. On the River, and two shopping centers in the network, Multiplan and they closed early on the 21st of June, and those who do not remember the scenes of destruction involving one of the dealerships in the Hyundai in the same city!).
A report from the international monetary fund also points out that these events have been added to the modest growth of the economy and the high prices of food, transportation, and housing.
Source: Meio & Mensagem


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More Than Half a Decade of Serving Sydney as Car Buyers
Cash for Car Scrap Celebrates Year 6 With an Expansion across Sydney regions
By: Cash For Car Scrap
They've been planning to expand further into the suburbs of Sydney that they hadn't been covering initially. They have expanded to the suburbs of Bankstown, Bass Hill, Belfield, Belmore, Beverly Hills, Birrong , Canterbury, Campsie ,Chester Hill ,Chullora ,Clemton Park ,Condell Park ,Croydon Park ,Earlwood,Georges Hall, Greenacre, Kingsgrove, Lakemba, Lansdowne, Leightonfield, Milperra, Mount Lewis, Narwee, Padstow, Padstow Heights, Panania, Potts Hill, Punchbowl, Regents Park, Revesby, Revesby Heights, Roselands, Sefton, Villawood, Wiley Park, Yagoona, Picnic Point.
"We've been wanting to do this for a few weeks now, but we were waitingto make the big announcement on New Year's! It's just a special occasion for us. Even though we have been car buyers in Sydney for the past 5 years, we don't fail to celebrate the small things." said Blake from Cash for Car Scrap.
The car removal company has been in the business for a couple of years and claims to have been in the leading position from the first year of establishment. The industry has been growing very rapidly alongwith the car buying market. As people are now interested in selling their cars sooner than usual, car removal companies make much more profit by reusing most of the parts or even reselling the entire car to second-hand car buyers.
The expansion of the car removal company in Sydney proves that the demand for these services has only increased over the years. With an additional benefit of being able to help in the conservation of the environment, car owners tend to prefer such car removal services to sell their car. This has given another angle to these car buying companies in Sydney. They have now been marketing their services as a 'sustainable option for car removal in Sydney' and it seems to work.
With hope for a better scale of opportunities, Cash for Car Scrap has dived into the market with an expansion strategy. The company believes that with their level of service quality, their impeccable customer service team and the fringe benefits they offer, they will be able to capture the new market in a few weeks time.
For further media information visit: http://www.cashforcarscrap.com.au/
Cash for Car Scrap is one of Sydney's oldest car removal service that has a been inclusive of accepting all vehicle categories to recycle. They offer services in Sydney as well as the surrounding suburbs. They have been responsibly taking care of abandoned car towing, accidental car removal and recycling of such cars and car parts whenever necessary. They also deal in trucks, vans, SUVs, utes, 4 wheel drives and many more types of vehicle categories.


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DLX will give customers free burgers and fries at lunchtime Friday
MANSFIELD - Continuing its customer appreciation week, Dan Lew Exchange will give away a free burger and fries to each customer from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.
Owner Dan Lew said his business at 28 N. Main St., in the former Reed's Building downtown, provides curbside pickup and delivery.
He said he has been fortunate during COVID-19 not to have to lay off any of his employees. Servers have pitched in and helped expedite carryout service.
"As soon as got wind of maybe Ohio trying to re-open, I thought it would be a good time to refresh peoples' memories that 'Hey we're here,'" he said.
Lew said the restaurant is staying above water, like other restaurants.
"That's about it," he said. "But we've been fortunate. More than anything I wanted to do a customer appreciation."
"The beauty of this is people are still giving something and I'm not really expecting it, but the few tips here and there really help build morale. Every little bit helps," Lew said.
Lew said the social distancing and the coronavirus pandemic definitely create a new awareness.
"It's great helping the first responders. The Y, they ordered some, the kids drew up a little thank-you poster," he said, showing a visitor the poster.
"The people you don't think about, like Hursh Drug, they've got drivers going all over the place to assisted living, to nursing homes, let alone hospitals and everywhere else. There's a lot of people on the front that we don't really think about, not just the hospitals," Lew said. "We just want to show everyone the customer appreciation and at the same time create that awareness, that whatever we can do too."
Carryout and free delivery of the Chinese food has helped his business while restaurants are not allowed to have inside dining.
"Those of us who are primarily dine in, they're the ones who have primarily taken the biggest hit," Lew said. "I'm really proud we didn't lay anyone off."
Gov. Mike DeWine is expected to release some elements of his plan to reopen businesses on Friday.
"We'll be ready," Lew said. "I think they're still trying to figure things out."


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June 25, 2014 9:08 AM
Get a closer look at Princess Zelda as she appears in Hyrule Warriors.
June 25, 2014 8:29 AM
Former S.T.A.L.K.E.R. devs have launched a Kickstarter for Areal, a new post-apocalyptic RPG in the spirit of the original.
June 25, 2014 7:26 AM
The nominees for the Game Critics Awards 2014 have been announced!
June 24, 2014 11:47 AM
The developer of Devil's Third discusses why the switch to Wii U exclusivity came about.
June 24, 2014 10:31 AM
Shovel Knight is headed to Wii U and Nintendo 3DS on Thursday, so here's a look at the launch trailer.
June 24, 2014 9:20 AM
Miyamoto discusses the reason why handheld and console development was united.
June 24, 2014 7:39 AM
Iwata is recovering from surgery after doctor's discovered a growth on his bile duct.
June 24, 2014 7:30 AM
Both Agitha and Lana have been confirmed for Hyrule Warriors, with Lana being an original character.
June 24, 2014 5:44 AM
In a recent interview with Gameinformer, The Legend of Zelda developer Eiji Aonuma hinted at the possibility of multiplayer in the upcoming Zelda title for Wii U.
June 23, 2014 10:14 AM
Both Zant and Argorok are confirmed as playable characters, with two more speculative characters coming.


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On a day when Paytm confirmed that billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway had invested in it and Google rebranded its local payments app and forayed into digital lending, Amazon was also in the spotlight for its digital payments play.
According to several media reports, Amazon Pay, the e-commerce giant’s payment service, has acquired personal assistant platform Tapzo in a cash and stock deal pegged in the ballpark of $30-40 million.
Amazon and Tapzo are both yet to officially confirm these reports, but should a deal go through, it would offer an insight into the Jeff Bezos-led behemoth’s strategy.
Perhaps Amazon has realised that it arrived rather late to India’s digital payments party - a sense of deja vu given that fierce rival Flipkart beat it to the punch on the fashion front.
“Amazon Pay is nothing but a payment gateway for Amazon.in,” said Satish Meena, senior forecast analyst at research firm Forrester. “They were late, entered a market that already had leaders. They have been trying to figure out workable use cases for payments.”
The digital payments battle, unlike the one Amazon first fought to command a dominant space in the country’s e-commerce sector, is against some global giants - Google (Pay); Facebook (WhatsApp’s to-be-launched payment services) Alibaba (Paytm) and Walmart (PhonePe). Credit Suisse estimates that digital payments in India will be a $1 trillion industry by 2023.
To catch up, the most obvious option for the retail giant is to find smaller players that would offer it certain specific use cases in the payments space. And to that end, Tapzo fits the bill.
After years of turmoil, experimentation and pivots, Tapzo is now an app aggregator platform that allows users to access more than 35 apps, including Amazon, Flipkart, Ola, and Uber from a single app interface.
Users can make mobile, DTH and data card recharges, bill payments, order cabs and food, book flight and bus tickets, and avail of home services, to name a few.
That’s a plethora of use cases for a payment product and Amazon appears to be alive to that fact.
Amazon could eventually merge Tapzo with the Pay app, integrate its tech team for Pay services, on-board Tapzo’s user base that is spread across various internet purchase segments on to the Prime platform; and eventually see these efforts serve the intended purpose - increase the buyer base on the larger Amazon ecosystem and augment their ability to buy more.
“The lack of time on its hand and the vast opportunity that’s it’s losing out to its rivals has sort of pushed them to grab what’s available in the market,” Meena said.
Taking one step at a time, Amazon has slowly been beefing up its customer-facing payment offerings with the latest addition being the introduction of a new bill payments facility on Tuesday with which users can now pay electricity, landline, broadband, and other utility bills.
The company also partnered recently with food delivery platform Swiggy and pizza chain Domino's as a payment option for their customers.
Towards the end of last year, Tapzo had forayed into a new segment where it made apps for financial products and services available on its platform. For this, it tied up with online financial services platform BankBazaar and online lending firm IndiaLends.
Separately, Amazon has been steadily creating an overarching financial ecosystem beyond just payments.
In April, it invested $22 million (Rs 144 crore) in digital lender Capital Float and the following month, it led a $12 million (around Rs 80 crore) investment in online insurance startup Acko General Insurance Co. Ltd.
Amazon has also invested in online financial services marketplace BankBazaar.
The firm has also been injecting its local digital payments arm with fresh capital. Amazon Pay received a fresh funding infusion of Rs 230 crore last month. This marked the third such infusion after Amazon Pay increased its authorised share capital by five times to Rs 2,000 crore last October. It had received Rs 195 crore in March this year and Rs 260 crore in October 2017.
The latest infusion valued Amazon Pay India at around Rs 1,067 crore ($156 million).
Tapzo’s roller coaster ride
Even as Amazon looks to take the fight to its rivals, Tapzo has had its own battles over the years.
Tapzo was founded in 2010 by Ankur Singla, and later, Vishal Pal Chaudhary, the chief technology officer, and Avinash Vankadaru, who is part of operations, joined the startup.
Tapzo, which has undergone multiple pivots and rebranding exercises, initially started off as Akosha.com, an online customer feedback platform.
In 2015, it rebranded itself as Helpchat, a chat-based personal assistant.
Subsequently, in November 2016, it underwent one more pivot and rebranded as Tapzo.
After the most recent pivot, Tapzo raised about $1.93 million (Rs 12.32 crore) from existing investors in January this year.
The latest fund infusion came at a significantly lower valuation. According to a person familiar with the development who spoke to VCCircle at the time on condition of anonymity, Tapzo’s pre-money valuation in the latest round may have come down by as much as 45% in comparison with its last round.
In September 2016, VCCircle had reported that Tapzo secured a Series C round led by American Express Ventures, the venture investment arm of American Express Co and existing investor Sequoia Capital India. Southeast Asia-focused fund East Ventures had also participated in the round.
According to details available with VCCEdge, the data and financial research platform of News Corp VCCircle, the company had raised $10.49 million in the Series C round.
A 2016 report by online media publication The Ken stated that Tapzo commanded a post-money valuation of about Rs 600 crore after that investment
While Sequoia Capital is the single-largest investor in Tapzo, the company is also backed by media conglomerates HT Media and Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd.
In 2015, Sequoia Capital India had led a $16-million Series B round in the company. It was known as Akosha then.
Owned and operated by Bangalore-based Coraza Technologies Pvt. Ltd, the firm registered a 60% rise in operational revenue at Rs 14.10 crore for the financial year 2016-17, up from Rs 4.44 crore in the previous financial year, filings with the Registrar of Companies show.
Gross expenditures rose to Rs 113.43 crore, up from Rs 84.83 crore, primarily on the back of a three-fold rise in marketing expenses at Rs 36.93 crore, from Rs 12.28 crore in the previous year. Consequently, net losses also widened to Rs 99.32 crore, from Rs 77.37 crore in the previous year, the filings stated.


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An accountant turned tractor product manager has offered a rare insight into how large companies can offer opportunities for a diverse career path.
Australia and New Zealand Case IH product manager for mid horsepower and compact tractors Seamus McCarthy said a few years ago he felt he needed a change from his established position as an accountant for Case IH parent company, CNH Industrial.
"I was looking for a change but wanted to stay with the company, so I was looking at other roles within the organisation and thought marketing would be a good fit," he said.
I went back to university and got my Masters degree in marketing and when an opportunity as a product manager came up 12 months ago, I was ready to put my hand up.
"I went back to university and got my Masters degree in marketing and when an opportunity as a product manager came up 12 months ago, I was ready to put my hand up."
Mr McCarthy said aspects of the new role he enjoyed included communicating with customers and dealers about new products.
"Working with the global teams with regard to marketing, product offerings and global platforms for new products coming down the manufacturing line, is really rewarding," he said.
"I love talking to people so I think this role suits my personality a lot more."
Mr McCarthy said the current drought in eastern states had significantly impacted farming businesses but he remained optimistic.
"Our farmers have always been able to adapt, getting more yield out of less resources through hard work and ingenuity, and Case IH as a brand has a big role to play, providing producers with technology and product innovations that complement their efforts and allow them to do so much more with less," he said.
"The ongoing development of autonomous technology has a role to play particularly when staff are hard to find and retain."
Mr McCarthy said the smaller horsepower sector of the tractor market was highly competitive, driving them to tailor their product line up to suit different segments such as hobby farmers, smaller holdings and horticulture.
"It's in these areas where we're very conscious of strengthening our product line-up so it's relevant to every customer's needs," he said.


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MAACO News and Media
MAACO Pressroom provides the latest news about MAACO, including press releases, feature stories and photos.
December 2, 2014
Marine veteran and mother-to-be receives a vehicle through National Auto Body Council's Recycled Rides
November 5, 2014
MAACO, part of Driven Brands family of automotive companies, will service its 20 millionth car this month.
October 14, 2014
As the newest addition to Uber's Preferred Vendor list, Maaco is the paint and body shop of choice for Uber Driver Partners.
October 7, 2014
Maaco, North America's Largest Automotive Paint and Bodyshop, announces the release of its new app on the Google Play Store
July 28, 2014
Maaco, part of Driven Brands family of automotive companies, announces its first ever Hertz on-site Maaco shop.
July 21, 2014
Maaco, North America's Bodyshop, is joining the roster of Diamond Members of the National Auto Body Council (NABC).
July 21, 2014
Maaco, North America's largest Automotive Paint and Bodyshop, is extremely excited to open the first ever "Maaco Store" in Chino, CA.
June 24, 2014
Maaco, North America's Largest Automotive Paint and Bodyshop, announces the release of its new iphone app now available on the App Store.
June 6, 2014
MAACO's President, Jose Costa, and Senior Vice President of Franchise Sales, Travis Miller, on 21st Century Television with host Donald Trump Jr.
April 7, 2014
MAACO to Improve Customer Experience and Productivity with Data and Technology
August 1, 2012
'Thanks for helping veterans'
July 5, 2012
Televised nationally on ESPN
June 29, 2012
Driven Brands has named Jonathan Fitzpatrick as its new President and Chief Executive Officer.
June 20, 2012
World Franchising Network publishes 3rd annual list
June 14, 2012
Maaco Donates $110,000 To Children's Miracle Network, Benefiting Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Helping to give children hope and personalized attention
June 1, 2012
June 13 Golf Outing For Chidren's Hospital of Philadelphia


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The world is changing and we are moving forward to electric cars as the prices of fuels are jumping day by day. Tesla is said to make its business better in 2022. In Europe, Volkswagen began to challenge Tesla’s leading position. In the United States, “MotorTrend” magazine awarded two heavyweight automotive awards to the products of two start-up companies-Rivian’s R1T and Lucid Motors’ Air.
On the list, Toyota Motor Japan announced that it will invest 35 billion U.S. dollars to produce 30 different models of pure electric vehicles by 2030.
According to the CNBC report, the following 11 electric models will become global hot products, predicted to beat Tesla.
Ford F-150 Lightning
As per the latest report, the electric pickup F-150 Lightning will be launched in the spring of 2022. As the most popular vehicle in the United States, Ford’s F-150 series has often occupied the best-selling car in the United States. Relying on this unparalleled popularity, Lightning has become one of the most anticipated vehicles on the market ever.
The F-150 Lightning has a starting price of nearly $40,000, and it will be able to travel 300 miles and reach 563 horsepower with extended-range batteries. At the beginning of December last year, the company’s CEO Jim Farley told the media that due to excess demand, Ford had to stop booking after the first 200,000 orders.
Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla and the richest man in the world, said that he got inspiration from the movies “Blade Runner” and “007 Underwater City”.
Unveiled in 2019, the production of EV got pushed to 2022, however, the Tesla Cybertruck has been spotted undergoing testing with some design updates.
The model was supposed to be put on the market before the end of 2021, but due to various production delays, Tesla has repeatedly postponed the date. Musk predicted that Cybertruck will start production at the end of 2022 at Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in October last year, and mass deliveries may begin in 2023.
The market predicts that the Cybertruck will start at $39,900, and the single-engine version will have a range of 250 miles; the three-motor version with a range of 500 miles may start at $69,900.
The R1S SUV is expected to start shipping to customers in March 2022, with a starting price of $70,000, a power of up to 750 horsepower, and a range of 316 miles.
Lucid Air Pure
Lucid Motors’ Lucid Air won the heavy honor of “MotorTrend” as soon as it appeared.
Consumers are beginning to look forward to the lower-priced version of its Air, Air Pure, with a starting price of approximately US$77,000. The market expects that Air Pure will be launched on the market by the end of 2022, and its maximum cruising range may exceed 400 miles.
Air’s high-end version of Dream Edition starts at $169,000.
Fisker, an electric car startup based in California, will begin production of its first electric car, the Ocean SUV, in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The car’s starting price is US$37,499. Its biggest feature is that it has a solar panel roof that can provide additional charging. The interior of the car is also made of recycled materials.
Canoo describes the model as a “loft on wheels.” This electric van offers lounge seating at the rear, with a maximum power of 350 horsepower, a range of 250 miles, and a starting price of $34,750. It is said that the seat design of this prototype car is similar to Apple ‘s Apple Car.
BMW’s first electric SUV will be delivered to customers in the United States as early as March 2022. The iX starts at $83,200, has a maximum power of 523 horsepower and a range of up to 300 miles.
According to General Motors, Cadillac plans to be fully electric by 2030. Lyriq starts at close to $59,000 and will have a range of more than 300 miles. In addition, it will be the first car on the market to use the Ultium battery system.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Hyundai Ioniq 5 This compact SUV will be the first product of Hyundai Motor’s new electric car series Ioniq. Ioniq 5 will be available at the end of December with a starting price of US$39,700 and a maximum cruising range of more than 300 miles.
The Nissan Ariya is a crossover SUV with a starting price of nearly US$46,000 and a cruising range of more than 300 miles. It will go on sale in the fall of 2022.
Nissan said that by 2030, it will launch 23 new electric car models, Ariya is one of them.
South Korea’s Kia plans to launch 11 electric vehicles by 2026, and according to the plan the company will launch an all-electric SUV EV6 in January is one of them.
The EV6 starts at $56,000 and has a range of more than 300 miles. It is also equipped with an 800V high-voltage fast charging system.
Join RMC on Telegram for instant updates.


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PARKERSBURG - Sen. Jay Rockefeller met Wednesday with glassmakers to discuss the issues facing the industry in West Virginia.
About a dozen people attended the roundtable discussion, representing glass manufacturing companies from throughout the state as well as area tourism and business groups.
"The glass industry to me is representative of everything that is creative and interesting and hard," he said. "I respect what you do. I'm interested in what you do. I want to see you do more of it."
Rockefeller in Parkersburg
But the state's glass manufacturing industry has seen a rapid decline during the last 20-30 years, officials said. At one point more than 470 glass manufacturing businesses were in West Virginia. Today fewer than a dozen are still in business.
The roundtable discussion Wednesday, held at the Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, focused on the factors that have caused the industry's decline and what could be done to reverse the trend.
"In our situation, we are seeing many trends that are affecting us," said George Fenton, president of Fenton Art Glass. "We boomed in the '90s. We have cratered in this decade."
Photo by Michael Erb
George Fenton, left, president of Fenton Art Glass, speaks Wednesday to Sen. Jay Rockefeller as part of a roundtable discussion of the state’s declining glass manufacturing industry.
Among the factors have been an overall decline in consumer interest in collectibles, more competition and even outright pirating of designs from Chinese businesses, the downturn in the economy and a shift in the marketing of collectibles.
Fenton said big-box stores have forced many of the mom-and-pop-style collectible stores out of business and imported items are manufactured for a fraction of the price of local manufacturing.
Fenton also said in general consumers are not buying collectible pieces and have drifted from home-decor style gifts to fashion accessories, causing more specialty shops to carry beads and purses rather than vases and bowls.
"That's why we are doing beads now," he said.
Beri Fox of Marble King said Chinese companies pirating designs, hoarding manufacturing products and driving up the price of raw materials while selling items at rock-bottom prices to American companies has made it impossible for local manufacturers to compete.
"There is no accountability," she said. "There is no protection for us."
"We're not competing in a world market," said Chip Turner of Appalachian Glass Products. "We are just opening the door and saying run over us."
Those gathered said in addition to adapting to a changing consumer market, more needed to be done at the federal level to help small American manufacturers and specialty shops to not be buried by large chain stores and foreign competition.
"We're not asking to be subsidized. We are not asking for a bailout like the banks," Fox said. "What we are asking for is it to be fair, and it's not."
"We're just slowly being put out of business," Turner said. "What's left is sitting in this room. When it is gone, it's gone."
Wednesday's meeting marked the fourth roundtable discussion in Rockefeller's "Make It In America" tour in West Virginia.


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Although we have almost reached the halfway point of the Black Ops Cold War game cycle, there is already plenty of attention on the 2021 instalment in the Call of Duty franchise. Widely reported to be titled Call of Duty: WWII: Vanguard, the game will mark a return to World War 2 for the first time since late 2016.
The return to World War 2 has been met with a mixed reception from the vocal and passionate community, with some looking forward to another game set in the time period and others stating that they would prefer a return to a futuristic setting.
Alongside the debate regarding the setting of the game, there has been plenty of talk surrounding the engine that will be used to power the game.
With that said, will COD 2021 feature a brand-new engine?
COD 2021 New Engine
According to a report by VGC, COD 2021 will not be powered with a brand-new engine. The article confirms that Sledgehammer Games will be using the IW8 engine to power WWII: Vanguard.
The IW8 engine is the newest engine to power a Call of Duty title. It debuted with the 2019 reboot of the Modern Warfare series and is also used to run the franchise’s immensely popular battle royale, Warzone.
Rather than a completely new engine being used, WWII: Vanguard will be using the engine armed with the latest technology in order to develop the game.
This news is certainly positive for those that aren’t fans of Treyarch’s engine used to run Black Ops Cold War. Many players saw Cold War as a step back in comparison to 2019s Modern Warfare and with the IW8 engine being used for WWII: Vanguard, there’s a chance that the game could be incredible despite the return to World War 2 again.
COD WWII: Vanguard Reveal
With numerous leaks and rumours floating around, it is likely that official teasers surrounding the reveal of the game will be arriving will be making an appearance in the not-too-distant future.
Prior to the official reveal of Black Ops Cold War, Warzone players found numerous Black Ops references including the shell of an RC-XD which all-but-confirmed the return to Black Ops.
Could we see an MP40 or an M1 Garand added into the battle royale? We will have to wait and see what Sledgehammer Games has in store!
For more articles like this, take a look at our Call of Duty: Vanguard page.


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Elizabeth Ashmun has joined Murad as the company’s chief marketing officer.
“Elizabeth brings a fresh perspective and a great deal of experience that will be highly beneficial to Murad,” said Richard Murad, general manager of Murad Inc., to whom Ashmun will report. “We are very proud of our continued success over the past 25 years and we anticipate exponential growth in the future. With her strategic business and marketing background, I am confident that Elizabeth will play a crucial role in driving brand growth.”
Ashmun’s duties will include overseeing all global marketing, including brand development, advertising, public relations, creative and education, for products, services and new market opportunities.
She will be responsible for driving brand growth and equity through global initiatives, driving product development, increasing consumer engagement and brand profitability and developing an overall growth strategy for the company, added Murad.
Ashmun was most recently at Kate Somerville, where she was vice president of global marketing.


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Senegal: Toyota Hilux favourite, Peugeot losing grip
Peugeot 504 Station Wagon in the background. Picture by Liki Fumei, all rights reserved.
* Click on title for more street scenes and videos! *
In 2011, 7,350 new cars were imported into Senegal, making it the biggest market in Western Africa. 585 of these were then re-exported in the region. However the Senegalese new car market is a little wobbly right now, weakened by a new law from just-elected president Macky Sall allowing the imported of used cars up to 8 years old (it used to be 5). Some distributors believe that this new measure will affect low-end brands like Chery and Great Wall more than the rest.
A very important element influencing the structure of the Senegalese car market is the fact that banks are reluctant to lend money to private buyers. As a result, 58% of all new cars are sold to companies vs. 27% to private buyers and 15% to administrations.
The Toyota Hilux and Mitsubishi L200 should top the models ranking in Senegal based on the observation of recent YouTube videos of the streets of the country. The strong influence Peugeot had over the years is still striking in the Senegalese car landscape with a flood of 504 and 505 station wagons and pick-ups, 405, 205, 206 and 406 all over the streets… However it seems to have come to an end with the stop of the Peugeot 504 assembly in Nigeria in 2005 after 30 years of activity and the Peugeot 308 is the only recent model to seem to have had relative success.
Could the Peugeot 301 be the key to Peugeot’s return to success in Africa?
Peugeot is conscious of the situation and says it is refocusing its energy on Sub-Saharian Africa in 2012 after its success in Nothern Africa (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) over the last couple of years. Peugeot still means robustness for the consumers of the region but their current models don’t fit the demand for pick-ups, 4WDs and minibuses. Only a range created with Africa in mind could prevent the inevitable decline of the brand in the region. In the meantime, Peugeot has released the 408 and 508 and could count on the low-cost 301 to grow again in Senegal…
Peugeot 505 in the background. Picture by Alexandre Foulon, all rights reserved.
Peugeot 504. Picture by Bnctony, all rights reserved.
Other successful models in Senegal are the Dacia Logan, Toyota Prado, Ford Ranger, as well as the Iran Khodro Samand a favourite among taxi drivers, while Great Wall seems to have also made some inroads with the Hover as has Chery with the QQ.
More Senegalese street scenes and videos below.


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The Fed’s case for raising interest rates based on inflation remains soft.
Despite a steady increase in consumption, inflation moderated in July, remaining well below the central bank’s much discussed 2% target. Data released by the government today showed that prices as measured by the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) – the Fed’s favorite inflation measure – increased just 0.3% for a second straight month.
The PCE price index rose 1.2% during the 12-month period that ended in July, the smallest increase since March 2011. It increased 1.3% in June
Yet according to a separate release from the Commerce Department, consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, picked up 0.3% in July following an upwardly revised 0.3% gain in June. Consumer spending was previously reported to have gained 0.2% in June.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.4% rise for July.
U.S. consumers opened their wallets last month. The Department of Commerce reported Friday that consumer spending rose 0.3% in February on a seasonally adjusted basis, the fastest rate since November as Americans spent more on health care and utilities.
But it wasn’t all rosy. Purchases of big-ticket items such as new cars fell for the third straight month.
Partly offsetting the acceleration in spending last month was a reduction in rate of outlays in January. Spending increased at a 0.2% clip in the first month of the year instead of 0.4% as previously reported. What’s more, spending on durable goods fell for the third straight month. Consumers typically buy big-ticket items when they feel more confident about the economy and their own job security. Consumer sentiment data is due out later on Friday. Households boosted purchases of a variety of services, however, such as health care, education and financial advice. They also spent more on clothes for the first time in four months.
Consumer spending has been tepid since the recession ended in mid-2009 with Americans opting to pay off credit cards and boost their savings. Many economists expect spending to pick up in 2014amid rising employment, higher stock prices and higher home values. Yet an unusually harsh winter has taken a toll on spending. Investors are watching for signs of a spring recovery.
Personal income also rose 0.3% in February. The personal savings rate, ticked up to a four-month high of 4.3% from 4.2% in January. Also, inflation as gauged by the core PCE price index increased 0.1% in February.
The low rate of inflation gives the Federal Reserve more cushion to remove stimulus from the U.S. economy at a leisurely pace and wait longer until it raises interest rates. The Fed targets inflation of 2% to 2.5%.
Adrian Miller, head of fixed income strategies at GMP Secutities wrote:
Personal income is holding up quite well in both nominal and real terms which should bode well for personal consumption going forward. Moreover, as the PCE data reflects, inflation is simply not a concern at this point, though the doves within the Fed will fret about deflation risks. With that, with inflation not expecting to increase measurably for at least a couple of years, coupled with the economy poised to run below trend at least through 2015, the prospect of a Q2 2015 rate hike by the Fed, a story much of the market has been obsessed with, seems unlikely, in our view. We believe the recent aggressive repricing and flattening of the short end of the curve is excessive and the first rate hike remains a second half 2015 event.
Barrons.com’s Income Investing blog helps readers find undervalued securities that offer attractive yields, with an emphasis on dividend-paying stocks, preferred shares, bonds, REITs, Master Limited Partnerships and closed-end funds.
Amey Stone is Barron’s Income Investing blogger and Current Yield columnist. She was formerly a managing editor at CBS MoneyWatch, MSN Money and AOL DailyFinance. Her responsibilities included overseeing market coverage and personal finance topics. Prior to those roles, she was a senior writer at BusinessWeek where she authored the Street Wise column online and contributed to the magazine’s Inside Wall Street column. Topics covered included economics, corporate finance, Fed policy, municipal bonds, mutual funds and dividend investing. She co-authored King of Capital, a biography of Citigroup Chairman Sandy Weill. She is a graduate of Yale University and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.
Write to Amey at Amey.Stone@barrons.com


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Celebrated fashion expert, Burak Cakmak, who is the Dean at Parsons School of Design, will be at the GTBank Fashion Weekend 2018.
Burak Cakmak has facilitated successful collaborations for over a decade with a wide range of stakeholders including suppliers, retailers, NGOs, governments, and the media in order to drive positive, ethical industry change.
Cakmak was named Dean of Fashion at Parsons in 2015 after working at Swarovski Group as the company’s first Vice President of corporate responsibility where he was instrumental in implementing best practice industry standards across the business.
Prior to Swarovski, Cakmak worked at Kering as its first Director of corporate sustainability, spearheading innovation-driven sustainability strategies for the luxury group’s brands including Gucci, Stella McCartney and Buttega Veneta.
Cakmak is passionate about education and has established projects and partnerships in the US, UK, France, China, Brazil, and India.
The fashion icon will take a masterclass at the event on Sunday, November 11, 2018, from 1.00pm – 1.45pm at Plot 1, Water Corporation Drive, Oniru Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Burak Cakmak will be at the GTBank Fashion Weekend to lead the discussion on Building a Fashion Ecosystem.


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'Overwatch' finally makes playing with randoms easier
You can check out 'Stay as Team' on the PC version's Public Test Realm right now.
This 3-second video will glitch out any iPad or iPhone
Better watch out what videos you play on your iPad and iPhone – there's a new malicious video and all it takes to glitch out your iOS device is 3 seconds.
Singapore government pivots toward "Smart Nation" strategy
In a bid to fulfill its ambitious Smart Nation 2025 strategy, the Singapore government has undertaken a major realignment of its innovation agencies.
Give your boiled eggs a shake for easier peeling
Peeling hard boiled eggs can be an infuriating process. With this quick tip, you will be peeling eggs like a pro.
Don't fear the AI uprising: This robot can't even pass exams
Torobo, a robot created by the University of Tokyo, has tried and failed to gain entry to the prestigious university four times.
Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 360-degree video
NBC and Verizon think they can make floats that much more immersive.
Johnnie Walker's drunk-driving VR experience lacks subtlety
A virtual reality movie is not much more impactful than a regular one.
3 ways to estimate how much propane you have left
There are few things worse than running out of propane in the middle of grilling. Use these three methods of estimating how much propane is left to avoid a cookout faux pas.
Justin Bieber leaves a fan bloody after punching him from a moving car
Justin Bieber pulled a UFC move on a fan who was invading his personal space.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Suspended on Twitter
Tuesday evening, the Twitter account of company co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey was briefly suspended on the site. It was not immediately clear why.
The best iOS apps to shop for Black Friday deals
The deal-grabbing frenzy known as Black Friday is just a few days away and shoppers looking to nab the best deals on Apple products and accessories can get ahead of the game with a number of apps that help organize ads and track the best deals.
Xbox One games stream to your Oculus Rift on December 12th
The app will be free, although this clearly isn't the cheapest way to play Xbox One games away from your TV: on top of the Xbox One, you'll need a fast PC and a Rift. Still, this might beat having to sit in front of your monitor the entire time... or having to awkwardly explain an ultra-violent game to your little ones.
IGN Live Presents Exclusive Final Fantasy 15 Gameplay and Interviews - IGN
If you live in the UK or Republic of Ireland, select Odeon cinemas will be hosting special Road to Release events on the same night from 7:30pm GMT. There, our IGN Premiere livestream will be followed by a screening of animated companion movie, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. All Odeon ticket holders will receive a goodie bag and get the chance to win prizes on the night.
iPad buyback: Sell your old iPad to us to get the best price
That’s a bold claim, but it’s one we can back up. We’ll pay you $165 cash for a 16 GB iPad Air 2 in decent shape. Gazelle offers $115 for the same tablet . Apple will give you a $175 gift card if your iPad is in flawless condition, and that’s after an assessment — if there’s screen or body damage, the company will offer to take it off your hands for free. (Apple’s site doesn’t let us link to individual items, but you can check out Apple’s buyback prices here .)
Facebook builds censorship tool to attain China re-entry: NYT
Facebook Inc has quietly developed a censorship tool that could persuade China to allow the world's biggest social media network to re-enter the world's second largest economy after a seven-year ban, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
What's real news, what's an ad? Students can't tell, study shows
While young people may seem digitally savvy, their ability to evaluate online information can be summed up in one word, Stanford researchers say: "bleak."
Safety regulators want smartphone makers to develop a driving version of airplane mode
Carmakers also offer a variety of hands-free features that
don't require a driver to directly interact with their phone
— voice-activated text messaging. Apple has partnered with
several car companies to integrate its CarPlay software that
pairs a driver's iPhone to the car's infotainment system,
allowing them to use features like Apple's voice assistant,
You can get Netflix in 4K on your Windows PC (finally)
4K content is only going to be available on compatible Windows 10 2-in-1s and PCs, which means it's not as easy as firing up your PC and plowing through 7 seasons of mother-daughter bonding. Or whatever you want to watch. You'll need to be running the latest Microsoft Edge Web browser in Windows 10, and your computer will need to be packing the latest seventh generation Kaby Lake processor from Intel. Which is to say, it's a pretty small subset of Windows users.
Watch the Bee Movie Trailer, Except Every Word Is In Alphabetical Order
Here’s a better way to watch the Bee Movie trailer, with all the words in alphabetical order. What does this new video, made by YouTuber Spinny P , tell us about the hidden messages embedded in Jerry Seinfeld’s cult classic? An approximate transcript of the video tells us everything we need to know.
I can't stop mashing up Twitter accounts with this hilarious website
I started off by mixing my Twitter account with that of my boss . As you can see above, it came up with the wild idea of handling email like butter — something I don’t recommend.
How Fake News Blew Up Into a Political Crisis for Facebook
On the night of the U.S. presidential elections, one of Facebook’s former product designers turned to Facebook to vent. His claim: The social media platform may have helped inaccurate and partisan news stories reach more voters, setting the stage for Donald Trump’s victory. Two weeks later, Facebook’s fake news problem has become one of the most hotly debated issues in America. This week, Bloomberg Technology’s Aki Ito and Sarah Frier speak to not only that former Facebook employee, but also two prominent investors in Silicon Valley as well as an editor of fact-checking site Snopes.com. Together, they grapple with the responsibilities that Facebook shoulders as a source of news for a growing portion of the world.
How to get high with your family this Thanksgiving
Because of the nature of Thanksgiving, we would recommend trying a hybrid or sativa with low THC level. (THC is the active component in marijuana that makes you feel stoned. Like alcohol, the higher the percentage, the more potent the weed will be.) Our reasoning behind this is that it's easy enough for people to fall asleep on the couch due to overeating, so smoking an indica may further induce couch lock, which is great but won't allow your family to have a great bonding session.
Gravy-flavored candy canes are the holiday crossover no one wants
Though hot, fresh gravy improves most holiday dishes, there are exceptions to the rule. Candy canes, for example.
Ellen DeGeneres forgot her ID and can't get into the White House
Ellen DeGeneres is in the nation's capitol to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom—but because she forgot her ID, the comedian and talk show host had a hard time getting inside President Obama's house.
This Chair Makes It Possible To Work Like You're Still In Bed
How comfortable is it to lie horizontally in the middle of your office? With the Altwork station, Katharine Schwab finds out.
New battery tech lasts for days, charges in seconds
Scientists from the University of Central Florida (UCF) have created a supercapacitor battery prototype that works like new even after being recharged 30,000 times. The research could yield high-capacity, ultra-fast-charging batteries that last over 20 times longer than a conventional lithium-ion cell. "You could charge your mobile phone in a few seconds and you wouldn't need to charge it again for over a week," says UCF postdoctoral associate Nitin Choudhary.
Will Human Evolution Be Shaped by Climate Change?
Adaptation can only occur if there is a relationship between specific environmental conditions and differential reproductive success. Another aspect of whether adaptation can occur is the rate of change in an environmental parameter and the range of genetic variation within the species. This would be particularly true for animal species where evolution would have to rely on the standing genetic variation in the species. If we were to assume that global temperature continued to increase at very slow rate, it might be possible for human populations to undergo natural selection for resistance to these increasing temperatures. It would be difficult to speculate what such adaptations might look like, but one area of concern would be resistance to novel pathogens resulting from the expansion of transmission zones of vector insects (tropics to former temperate zones). We have already observed the increase in transmission of Zika virus as a result of expansion of vector insects. If malaria transmission were to expand as a result of increasing temperatures we might see renewed selection in favor of antimalarial adaptations in populations inhabiting formerly temperature zones.
'Rocket League' + Steam Workshop = more crazy stadiums
Uploading custom creations sounds simple enough for anyone familiar with Workshop, but developer Psyonix stresses that preview images should be "sharp, accurate" representations of what you've designed. A Workshop section is being added to the game's Steam Community Hub, and any levels you "subscribe" to will automatically populate the Extras section of the main menu.
How to lobby your Congressperson but also talk about fun stuff like 'Westworld'
While individual lobbying is a great exercise in democracy, an in-person meeting with your representative is also possible. If you know a large group of people who share your views on your topic of concern, setting up a group visit to your congressperson’s state office could bring about real change. Last week, I brought 300 friends to Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania’s Harrisburg office to express concerns about Steve Bannon’s appointment and also to ask him if he could reach out to HBO to find out if the maze in Westworld is a physical maze or more of a metaphorical maze because if it’s metaphorical a lot of us are going to feel ripped off.
Add me on Snapchat!
We Need to Stop Taking Facebook's Word For It [Vol. 2]
If you were to read The Verge’s glossy 2,ooo-word exclusive about Facebook’s first test flight of an internet-beaming drone, you’d think the June 28th flight was an unmitigated success. Published with photos provided by Facebook on the same day the company announced the test flight to the world, the story featured quotes from Mark Zuckerberg on the importance of the project and scenes of elated Facebook employees wiping away tears of joy as “Aquila” took to the sky.
Snapchat Spectacles: The teardown
Unlike previous wearable glasses, Spectacles look, more or less, like hipster sunglasses. Snapchat did all it could to hide the technology away. The only indications that there's something else afoot here are the two yellow circles on either side of the sunglasses. One houses the video camera and the other a circle of LEDs that make it clear to others when Spectacles are filming.
South Korea prosecutors raid Samsung Group offices: Yonhap
SEOUL South Korean prosecutors raided the offices of Samsung Group, Yonhap News reports on Wednesday, over its alleged link with Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye's longtime confidant who has been indicted for criminal acts.
Pepper the robot will be helping out shoppers at two Bay Area shopping centers this holiday
It can be tough finding seasonal help. So naturally Westfield has started looking to robots for help staffing its shopping centers. Starting today, the Westfield San Francisco Centre and Westfield Valley Fair in the Silicon Valley will be employing Pepper robots to help improve the holiday shopping experience.
Apple to Replace Faulty Batteries Free in iPhone 6s Devices
Apple Inc. said it would provide consumers world-wide with a free battery replacement for iPhone 6s devices that unexpectedly shut down. The announcement Sunday came less than a week after a Chinese consumer-protection group said it received reports of iPhone 6s devices spontaneously shutting down though half their battery life remained. It is the second time in the past three years the company has offered a battery-replacement...
Sci-fi, fantasy, horror-filled recipes: Geeky cooks, arise!
Get inspiration from cookbooks that pay tribute to geeky treats like Adventure Time, World of Warcraft, Doctor Who, "Game of Thrones," Star Wars, Star Trek and "True Blood."
Apple returns to Black Friday
Apple today signaled that it will return to offering sales specials on Nov. 25, the day this year dubbed "Black Friday" in the U.S.
Darling Clementine: Telltale’s ‘The Walking Dead’ is back on December 20
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series — A New Frontier will begin on December 20 and picks up four years after zombies nearly destroyed civilization and forced protagonist Clementine to grow up in a hurry. She is joined by new character Javier, “a young man determined to find the family taken from him” whose fate is “bound together” with Clementine’s. The game’s first artwork features a moonlit shot of dozens of zombies moving toward the camera in a classic, George Romero-like fashion.
Google Can Now Tell You How Busy Restaurants Are In Real Time
Earlier this year, Google launched a feature called Popular Times, which showed predictions of how busy a restaurant might be each hour of the day when you scoped it on Google services. Now, the company has updated the feature in a big way: Popular Times now shows how crowded places are in real time—at the very moment you search.
This is not a drill: Symmetra 2.0 is now playable in 'Overwatch'
The PTR is a live play environment accessible to anyone that owns Overwatch on PC. Progress made in the PTR doesn't count or carry over, but it gives fans a chance to try work-in-progress updates and Blizzard a chance to base balance tweaks on live feedback.
Apple Collected 91% Of the Smartphone Industry Profit in Q3, 2016
Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “We estimate the global smartphone industry realized total operating profits of US$9.4 billion during Q3 2016. Apple dominated and captured a record 91 percent share of all smartphone profits worldwide. Apple’s ability to maximize pricing and minimize production cost is hugely impressive and the iPhone continues to generate monster profits. Huawei, Vivo and OPPO are the next three most profitable smartphone vendors globally this quarter, but they are still a long way behind Apple.”
Now that Tesla has officially acquired SolarCity , it's not wasting any time showing what the combined entity can do. Tesla has revealed that it's running the island of Ta'u (in American Samoa) on a solar energy microgrid that, at 1.4 megawatts, can cover "nearly 100 percent" of electrical needs . It's not just the 5,328 solar panels that are key -- it's the 60 Tesla Powerpacks that offer 6 megawatt-hours of energy storage. While Ta'u is normally very sunny, the packs can keep it running for three days without sunlight. They don't have to worry about a cloudy day leading to blackouts. The solar switch, which took a year to complete, has both its long-term environmental and immediate practical benefits. Like many remote communities, Ta'u previously had to run on diesel generators. That burns 300 gallons of fuel per day, which is neither eco-friendly nor cheap. Solar eliminates the pollution, of course, but it also saves the cost of having to continuously buy and ship barrels of diesel. And crucially, it provides a more reliable source of electricity.
These Russian Dogs Hunt for Bombs at Power Stations
Fifteen hydroelectric plants provide power to the 3 million people of Dagestan, and each of them is a tempting target for terrorists in a Russian republic facing an Islamic insurgency. Their security is paramount, and it starts with dogs.
Think Your Sex Life Is Bad? These Worms Harpoon Each Other With Their Penises
Such is the push and pull in the battle of the sexes. As one side evolves an attack, the other evolves a defense, nature creating problems and then solving them. The issue comes down to the meaning of life: reproduce at all costs. This can put the sexes in conflict with each other—or, in the case of the tapeworm, the single hermaphroditic sex in conflict with others of the single hermaphroditic sex—particularly when females need to maintain some measure of control over who they mate with to ensure they’re picking the best genes. And perhaps nowhere is this kind of sexual conflict more dramatic than among ducks, whose males are notoriously forceful with their mating. Females have evolved a vagina that corkscrews to try to keep out the male’s penis, which corkscrews in the opposite direction (and can grow up to fifteen inches long). Some duck vaginas even have pockets that branch off into dead ends, frustrating the male’s efforts.
How to dodge Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping hackers
Hackers are writing apps, setting up phony Wi-Fi networks and unleashing malware in attempts to turn legitimate Black Friday 2016 and Cyber Monday retailing into profits for themselves, according to security experts.
Trump Has the Mainstream Media Between a Rock and a Very Hard Place
The existential problem this poses for the mainstream press is this: Do they accede to Trump’s demands in order to get access to him and his administration so that they can better report on it? Or do they become even more antagonistic in their coverage, and give up any hope of a working relationship? Both of these come with significant risks.
Alex K. on Twitter
When you tweet with a location, Twitter stores that location.
You can switch location on/off before each Tweet and always have the option to delete your location history.
Sony's Black Friday deals include deep discounts on Overwatch, GTA V, and Far Cry Primal
Like Microsoft , Sony has also lifted the lid on its PlayStation Store's Black Friday deals ahead of the day itself, offering a host of new and older games with some hefty discounts. While regular customers will still get access to these deals, PlayStation Plus members will get even better discounts in many cases, getting more money off games like Overwatch , The Witcher 3 , and Star Wars: Battlefront .
They blocked Netflix, but no one's in a rush to regulate insecure 'smart devices'
"What we're going to be doing is always partly reactive," he said. "But if we do just sit there and just wait and react, I think we'll fall behind."
Samsung might brush up the Galaxy S7 lineup with new Jet Black color
Outside of Korea, Samsung continues to trail behind Apple when it comes to sales. While the company produces a whopping 20 percent of all smartphones sold, the iPhone-maker dominates the mobile market with a total of over 103 percent of total industry profits. The South Korean manufacturer is a distant runner-up with a teeny tiny 0.9 market share.
Meet Brand Central, Amazon's secret new plan to squash counterfeits
With more than 300 million listings, it's hard to know how significant Amazon's counterfeit problem is. In its lawsuits, Amazon attributed the activity to a "a small number of bad actors." Still, Amazon's latest actions demonstrate it wants to get rid of fakes before those products erode consumer trust. Without that confidence, Amazon might struggle to maintain its customer-focused reputation and ensure shoppers keep coming back.
Finally, you can customize an ugly Christmas sweater of your very own
This December, you can have the ugliest sweater at your ugly sweater party, and all with the knowledge that you designed it.
Fender will release a Bluetooth guitar amp designed for use with its mobile apps
Fender’s guitars are classic Americana – like a 57 Chevy or a pan of Jiffy Pop. From a design perspective, they’ve gone largely unchanged since the early/mid 50s, with the Stratocaster and Telecaster serving as the company’s biggest sellers. They’re solid, they’re well built, they’re iconic. Innovative, not so much.
Microsoft might get to take its last shot at the iPhone after all
The Surface Phone still isn't a sure thing, especially given Microsoft's recent hesitation to talk about any kind of plans for mobile. From a technology perspective, though, it seems that things are slowly but surely starting to come together, if and when Microsoft decides to take what could well be its last shot at mobile dominance.
Microsoft says sorry for almost saying the N-word in Xbox newsletter
I think if you interpreted "NNNNGGGHHHAAAA" – the title of an email sent about Dead Rising 4 – as a racial slur, that's really on you.
Google’s Online Travel Adventure Upsets Its Biggest Advertisers
In an interview at the Phocuswright conference in Los Angeles, he said Google won't become an online travel agent with full booking capabilities. Instead, the company's goal is to provide travelers with the best information. Google can deduce that someone searching for information on the Zika virus is planning a trip, and send them a travel deal before they ask for one. Expedia can't do this by itself, he said.
Young blood transfusions are probably not the best way to reverse aging
Villeda, the UCSF professor, is more open to the young blood approach. “The paper shows that there are different approaches: one is reintroducing things that we are missing between the young and old, and the other one is targeting and blocking these other pro-aging effects,” he says. “I think doing both — drop aging factor, increase youthful factor — are equally interesting. I really think that both approaches are equally important to pursue.” He also notes that there is a difference between blood transfer and studies that inject just young plasma into old mice. Plasma might have stronger effects and be less risky, though that doesn’t mean those of us looking to stay forever young should be preying on the next generation. We still don’t know how much blood or plasma would be needed, or in what doses. “Doing this chronically?” says Villeda. “That’s absolutely not feasible.”
Supergirl: "The Darkest Place" Review - IGN
As for James, he continues to be the show’s most frustrating and unnecessary character. This episode did nothing to redeem the disappointing Guardian storyline or justify the idea of James becoming a superhero in the first place. Even the fact that James suddenly found himself on the wrong side of the law did little to boost his storyline. This conflict never forced James to consider the consequences of his actions or the risks he’s taking putting on the costume. Instead, it delivered a very straightforward, generic “hero framed by the villain” tale, one that was quickly and neatly wrapped up by episode’s end.
Four Ways to Handle Interview Questions You Don't Know How to Answer
Say you’re applying for a mergers and acquisitions position in finance and are asked, “What is working capital?”—and you really just have no idea. Be prepared with a fail-safe answer that focuses on your enthusiasm for the position and knowledge of the industry. Something like, “That’s not a concept I’m really familiar with yet, but finance is something I’m really excited about, and I’ve been actively trying to learn more. I’ve been keeping up with deals and have read about a few that your company has been involved in. I’ve also learned a lot about the industries that you advise. I think the consolidation that’s going on in the auto industry is going to create a lot of interesting opportunities going forward, and it’ll be an opportunity to learn a great deal about the M&A business.”


text:
German coachbuilder Weismann in over a year, so we're pleased to revisit the niche manufacturer with some good news in hand. After 12 years of operation Weismann has produced its 500th Roadster model. While that may not seem like a lot after a dozen years with the doors open, consider that Weismanns are hand-built to each customer's specifications and go for well north of $100,000 US dollars. Power for Weismann vehicles is provided by
inline-six and V8 engines. Many see the Weismann's design as a hodgepodge mess of styling cues from
, TVR and others. Regardless, it's a unique piece of machina that manages to look like nothing and everything on the road all at the same time.
The 500th Weismann Roadster is being
off on the company's
with all proceeds to go to a charity of the winner's choice.


text:
Soft drink Lilt has been pulled from UK shelves after 48 years and is set to be replaced by a new type of Fanta.
The drink was first sold in 1975 with the tagline “The Totally Tropical Taste”, and was only available in the UK, Ireland, Gibraltar and the Seychelles.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) confirmed the change in a statement, noting that it will now be known as Fanta Pineapple and Grapefruit.
CCEP said: “Keen Lilt fans may have spotted a gradual transition as the drink has made its way into the Fanta family over the past few months, with changes to its packaging and logo.
“Some have even hypothesised on social media that Lilt may be becoming part of the Fanta brand, and one even went as far as producing their own news broadcast-style video.”
The firm’s UK vice-president of commercial development, Martin Attock, has insisted the drink formula is the same, and that it simply has a new name.
“Our main priority with this announcement is to reassure Lilt’s loyal fanbase that absolutely nothing has changed when it comes to the iconic taste of the drink they know and love,” he said.
“It’s still bursting with tangy tropical flavours, it’s just got itself a new name.”
Lilt became a feature of popular culture with its Lilt Man parody adverts in the late 1980s, while a decade later it was promoted by two Jamaican women known as the Lilt Ladies.
Coca-Cola reduced the number of calories, sugar and artificial sweeteners in the drink between 2008 and 2014 as part of efforts to make healthier products in response to the Government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal.
The new drink will be available from February 14.
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